Edmund John Just Edey Handcock (1854 - 1916)

Born 9 May 1854 in Falmouth, Cornwall

Ancestors

Husband of Caroline (Lanyon) Handcock — married 3 Jul 1879 in Helston, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 15 Mar 1916 at age 61 in Rumney Hill, Cardiff Glamorganshire

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Biography

Edmund was born in Falmouth in 1854.^[1]

He was educated at Taunton and was apprenticed at Messrs Donkin & Co. shipowners of Newcastle.

He settled in Cardiff in 1871 as shipowner, coal exporter and tugboat owner.

He owned a business called E. Handcock & Co. which traded at 7 Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff and later moved to Morel's Chambers, Bute Street, Cardiff (1893/4).

Apart from his ship owning, Edmund Handcock was

a Vice-President of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce,

Chairman of the Penarth Pier Co.,

also of the Lady Margaret Steamship Company,

of the Liverpool and Cardiff Underwriters Association, and

a member of the Executive Council of the Cardiff Exhibition.

Ships owned included:

BRITON (63.97 tons) iron steamship built by Harvey & Vo. of Hayle 1888/84

FALCON (89.33 tons) iron steamship built by Cox & Co. of Falmouth 1882

both of the above were registered in Cardiff and are known to be tugs.

ETNA (70.93 tons) wood steamship built by E. Thomas of Falmouth 1893

JANE (16.38 tons) wooden steamship built by Joseph Osborne of PW Newquay 1872

MARY EDEY (336.17 tons) wooden sailing ship built by H.S. Trethowan of Falmouth 1864

NELSON (26 tons) wooden steamship built in Falmouth 1882

CARN BREA built in Newcastle

CARN MARTH built in Newcastle

SPEEDWELL

Family myth suggested that he was supposed to have kept dogs for dog fighting but that would need to be verified.

Caroline Lanyon, his wife, was daughter of Joseph James Lanyon, ironmonger of Helston, Cornwall.

He died in 1916. ^[2]

No more info is currently available for Edmund Handcock. Can you add to his biography?

Census Records

1861 Census England, Falmouth, Cornwall:^[3]

Address: Arwenack Street, Falmouth, Cornwall

John Edey, Head, widower, 56, Butcher in partnership with Edmund J. E. Handcock, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

Edmund J. E. Handcock, son in law, widower, 39, Butcher and Ship Agent, born in Tynemouth, Northumberland

Edmund J. E. Handcock, Grandson, 7, Scholar, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

John J. Handcock, Grandson, 5, Scholar, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

Jane Handcock, Grand daughter, 4, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

Jane C Armstrong, Housekeeper, unmarried, 39, Housekeeper, born in Shields, Northumberland

Sarah H. Huntley, visitor, unmarried, 16, visitor scholar, born in Howden, Northumberland

John Hooper, Servant, unmarried, 45, Foreman Butcher, born in Creed, Cornwall

Catherine Hardy, Servant, unmarried, 26, General Servant, born in Visa Bridge, Cornwall

Thomasine Bishop, servant, unmarried, 22, General Servant, born in Constantine, Cornwall

1871 Census Scotland, Aberlady, East Lothian:^[4]

Address: Vessel "Sorrento" at Aberlady, East Lothian

E. Handcock, [Member of Crew], 16, male, Clerk, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

1881 Census Wales Roath, Cardiff St John, Glamorgan:^[5]

Address: No. 4, Richmond Crescent, Roath, Cardiff

Edmund Handcock, Head, married 27, Ship Broker and Owner, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

Caroline Handcock, Wife, married, 29, born in Penzance, Cornwall

Dorothea Handcock, daughter, 10 months, born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Mary Williams, servant, unmarried, 24, General Servant, born in Braye, Cornwall

Elizabeth Barnes, servant, 14, General Servant, born in Penzance, Cornwall

1891 Census Wales Roath, Cardiff:^[6]

Address: 189, Newport Road, Roath, Cardiff, Glamorgan

Edmund Handcock, Head, married, 36, Ship Owner and Ships Broker, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

Caroline Handcock, wife, married, 39, born in Penzance, Cornwall

Dorothea Handcock, daughter, 10, Scholar, born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Winifred M. Handcock, daughter, 8, Scholar, born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Marjorie L. Handcock, daughter, 5, born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Jessie Barnes, servant, 21, domestic, born in Penzance, Cornwall

Laura Nankervis, servant, 23, domestic, born in Penzance, Cornwall.

1901 Census Wales Roath, Cardiff:^[7]

Address: 189, Newport Road, Roath, Cardiff, Glamorgan

Edmund Handcock, Head, married, 46, Ship Owner, Employer, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

Caroline Handcock, wife, married, 50, born in Penzance, Cornwall

Dorothea Handcock, daughter, single, 20, born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Winifred M. Handcock, daughter, single, 18, born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Marjory L. Handcock, daughter, single, 15, born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Elizabeth Ann Williams, servant, single, 26, House Maid Domestic, born in Cardigan

Annie Chidgey, servant, single, 26, Cook Domestic, born in Glamorgan

1911 Wales Census for Edmund Handcock Monmouthshire Rumney Peterstone Wentlloog 03:^[8]

Address: Castlefield, Rumney Hill, Cardiff

Edmund Handcock, Head, 56, married, completed 33 years of marriage, 3 children born alive and still living, Shipowner, employer, born in Falmouth, Cornwall

Marjory Lanyon Handcock, 25, single, born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Minnie Jane Taylor, Servant, 30, single, cook (domestic), born in Cardiff, Glamorgan

Elizabeth Ann Jones, Servant, 30, single, Housemaid (domestic), born in Blaenavon, Monmouthshire

Additional Information

[The following notes, in part, could refer to Edmund Handcock's father, also Edmund Hancock, who was born in 1822, married in about 1852.]

Andrew Pool has provided the following information (August 2015):

The following is an extract from A History of the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club 1871-2012 to be published shortly: Elected to the Club in 1891, Edmund Handcock was Rear-Commodore from 1895 until 1899 and then served two years as Vice-Commodore, separated by a single year in office by Thomas Sheldon, a bachelor lead merchant of Clevedon and the owner of the 38-ton Lorna Doone. Handcock was a tug owner in Falmouth and Cardiff, where there are records of several tugs registered in his name or companies including it. He was an original investor in and a Director of the Barry Dock and Engineering Co Ltd incorporated in 1891, where he is described as a ship owner. The 1861 Census shows him living in Arwenack Street with his father-in-law with whom he is in partnership as butchers, though he is also described as a shipping agent, the 1871 Census in Grove Place as a ship owner and marine surveyor, and the 1881 Census at Melvill Road as a ship owner, so he was advancing in the world. La te 19th Century Lloyds Registers of Yachts lists him as the owner of the 33-ton Waterwitch with addresses in Penarth and Cardiff. He had died by 1917 for his daughter’s marriage announcement in that year referred to the late Edmund Handcock.

[The daughter in question was Barbara who married Jack Inderwick in the 3rd quarter of 1917 in London]

Andrew provided further information:

I would have picked up ‘the late Edmund Handcock’ from a contemporary newspaper on microfiche in the Cornish Studies Library [1], probably the West Briton, Cornish Echo, or Falmouth Packet.

If you look up the Penarth website ([http://www.penarthtowncouncil.gov.uk/Core/Penarth-Town-Council/Pages/Town_Trail_No9_10.aspx] - link no longer valid - 24 Jan 2023), you’ll see he built a house in the 1892 which he gave the Cornish name of Treleaven.

Edmund's address in at least one of the Lloyds Register of Yachts was Morel's Chambers in Penarth.

Sources

• Michael Thompson, firsthand knowledge. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Michael and others.

1. ↑ Western Mail, Contemporary Biographies 1896
2. ↑ Entered by Michael Thompson, Aug 28, 2015
3. ↑ 1861 Census England, Falmouth, Cornwall
4. ↑ 1871 Census Scotland, Aberlady, East Lothian
5. ↑ 1881 Census Wales Roath, Cardiff St John, Glamorgan
6. ↑ 1891 Census Wales Roath, Cardiff
7. ↑ 1901 Census Wales Roath, Cardiff
8. ↑ 1911 Wales Census for Edmund Handcock Monmouthshire Rumney Peterstone Wentlloog 03